Hog scalding and suspending apparatus



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. 1); INMAN.

HOG SGALDING AND 'SUSPENDING APPARATUS. No. 563,965.

Patented July 14, 1896.-

Wifgzsszs (N M l.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

D. W- INMAN. HOG SGALDING AND SUSPENDING APPARATUS.

N0. 563,965. Patented July 14, 1896.

7' a I I 19921316? Witness? A "I I Wfmizmv iflom ey Tu: "cams FEYERS :04PHOTD-LITHO, wAsmNQTon. n. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID W. INMAN, OF VERSAILLES, OHIO.

HOG SCALDING AND SUSPENDING A PPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 563,965, dated July 14,1896.

Application filed September 25,1895. Serial No. 563,654. (No model.)

provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device particularly adaptedfor farmers use where a comparatively small number of hogs are handled,the said device being capable of being folded into compact shape, so asto be easily portable and capable of being stored in a limited space.

The purpose of the invention is to enable the farmer to handle the hogsafter they have been butchered with ease and rapidity, submerging thehogs first in the scalding water for the purpose of loosening the hairor bristles and afterward elevating the hogs and suspending them from anoverhead track or beam in convenient position to be scraped and cleanedand prepared for the market.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the courseof the subjoined description.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details ofconstruction and arrange-..

ment of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in thedrawings, and finally point ed out in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of thecomplete apparatus illustrating the manner in which a hog, after thescalding operation, is elevated and suspended from the overhead track orbeam. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing how the hog is suspended abovethe scalding tub or vessel preparatory to transferring the same to thetrack or beam. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in position toelevate the hog. view of the roller-frame upon which the 110g is placedafter the scalding operation; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectionshowing the pivotal connection between the overhead track or beam andthe forward supporting- Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective whichis composed of two equal longitudinal bars or joists arranged inparallelism and spaced a sufficient distance apart to receive thevertical bars of a series of traveling carriers or hangers, ashereinafter described. This beam or track is supported at its rear endby means of an inclined leg 2, the upper end of which is pivotallymounted between.

the side bars of the beam, the lower end thereof being provided with apivoted loop or staple 3, through which an anchor or staypin 4 may beinserted and driven into the ground. 5 indicates an inclined brace,whichhas its upper end pivotally arranged in the beam 1, the lower extremityof said base be ing chamfered to rest against the adjacent edge of theinclined leg 2, and such lower extremity is received within a metallicsocket and stop 63, secured in any convenient manner to the rear edge ofthe inclined leg 2. This socket prevents the further downward movementof the lower'end of the brace 5, and the side flanges with which-saidsocket is provided prevent the lateral movement or displacement of saidbrake. A connectinghook 7 is connected with' either the leg or bracereferred to, and engages at its hooked end an eye in the member oppositeto that to which the hook is pivoted. This construction admits of boththe leg 2 and the brace 5 being disconnected and folded upward into thespace between the separated bars of the overhead track or beam 1 fortransportation and storage.

Thefront legs 8, which support the beam or track 1, are two in number,and are arranged upon opposite sides of said beams and pivotallyconnected therewith by means of a common through-bolt 9. At the pointwhere these legs are pivotally connected with the beam a block 10 isinterposed between the ICO side bars of the beam, and upon the outeropposite faces of the side bars at the same point are arranged twosimilar brackets 11, having upper and lower flanges embracing said sidebars and also comprising outward and oppositely extending hub portions12, against which abut the inner ends of the hub portions 13 of a pairof clips 14, embracing the inner faces of the forward legs 8. Thehorizontal pivotal bolt 9 passes through the several parts just referredto and receives upon its threaded extremity a nut 15, having anoperating handle orlever16, by means of which the parts may be securelyclamped" and held together. By loosening the nut 15 with the aid of thehandle 16 the legs 8 may be loosened sufficiently to adapt them to beswung upward into the plane of the beam 1.. The several legs or supportsof the overhead beam or track are thus capable of being folded into theplane of the beam, and this facilitates the transportation and storageof the apparatus. WVhenin operative position, the forward legs 8 aremade rigid by means of suitable inclined and hooked braces or rods 17,preferably connected pivotally with the beam at one end and engagingeyes on the legs at their opposite or hooked ends.

18 designates a series of traveling carriers or hangers, which consisteach of a vertically- I disposed bar or shank extending upwardly betweenthe side bars of the beam or track 1, and having thereabove a transverseshaft or spindle upon which and on opposite sides of the bar or shank 18are mounted rollers 19, which travel on the upper edges of said sidebars. To the lower end of this bar or shank 1.8 is pivotally secured aU-shaped hanger or yoke 20, having swiveled therein a pendent eye 21, towhich are secured a pair of suspension-hooks The hooks 22 are intendedto engage the eyes or staples of a gambrelstick 23, upon which the hindfeet of the hog are impaled, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Thisconstruction admits of the hog being moved to any point longitudinallyto the track or beam 1, and also of said hog being turned upon theswiveled hanger into any desired position, so as to admit of the hair orbristles being removed and the hog cleaned and prepared for market.

24: designates the hoisting-lever, which is pivoted at a pointintermediate its ends between the front ends of the side bars of theoverhead beam or track 1. To the rear end of this lever is attached arope 25, which extends downwardly and is provided at its lower terminalwith a hook 26, which is adapted to be engaged with an eye 27 arrangedintermediate the ends of a hand operatinglever 28, arranged withinconvenient reach of the attendant, who by depressing such hand-lever maylift the outerfree end of the hoisting-lever 24. The outer end of thelever 24. carries a pair of hooks 29, which may be engaged with theeyesockets of a hog, and

also carries a hopple 30, the same comprising a curved plate 31 and asuspending-chain 32, secured at one extremity to one end of the curvedplate 31 and passing through an enlarged opening in the other end ofsaid plate and hooked at its opposite extremity into a swivel-eye on theend of the lever 24, the form of said hopple being particularly shown inFig. '7. \Vith the aid of this hopple either of the hind legs of the110g may be grappled for suspending the animal head downward. The hogcan thus be lowered and submerged in the tub 34 of hot water for thepurpose of scalding it and loosening the hair or bristles so that thesame may be easily removed. If by-reason of the size of the hog it isimpractical to entirely submerge the same, the said hog may be let downupon a suitable rest and the hooks 20 engaged with the eyesoekets of thehog, thus enabling the latter to be suspended from the lever 24: ininverted position.

After the hog has been scalded, the handlever 28 is depressed andengaged beneath a stop 35 on one of the legs 8, thus holding the animalsuspended above the scalding-tub. A roller-frame 36 is now placedbeneath the hog, one end of said frame being rested upon thescalding-tub and the other end upon a transverse bar 87, removablyinserted through staples or loops .38, secured to the forward leg 8,above described. This roller-frame is made substantially in the form ofa short ladder and comprises several revoluble rungs 39, as shown inFig. 4:, for facilitating the dragging of the hog longitudinally of theframe. The hog is lowered onto this frame and disenga ed from thehoisting-lever 24;.

b A gambrel-stlck 1S now lnserted into the hogs hind legs, after whichthe pendent hooks 40 of a hoisting-rope 41 are engaged with the eyes ofsaid stick preparatory to hoisting the animal. The hoisting-rope 41 runsover a pulley i2, pivotally mounted between the side bars of the beam 1adjacent to the front legs 8, and the opposite end of said rope isprovided with a hook, which may be engaged with the eye 27 of thehand-lever after the hook 26 of the hoisting-lever has been disengagedtherefrom. Upon operating the handlever the hog is now drawn from offthe frame 36 and elevated until the hooks 22 of one of the travelingcarriers 18 may be engaged with. the eyes of the gambrel-stick. Afterthe hooks 22 have been thus engaged, the hooks 40 of the hoisting-ropeare disengaged from said eyes, thus leaving the hog suspended upon oneof the traveling carriers. The hog may now be moved longitudinally ofthe overhead track or beam to the desired point and the operationrepeated until the desired number of hogs have been scalded and elevatedand suspended from said beam. In this position, and by means of theswiveleye of the traveling carrier, each hog may be independently turnedor revolved, thus greatly facilitating the scraping and cleaningnecessary to put the hog in marketable condition.

If desired, a hand-truck 43 may be employed, having rollers or casters44, for carrying the hogs to and from the scalding-tub, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, or carrying the same to the desired point under the beam1 preparatory to hoisting the same afterthe scalding operation has beencompleted. After the heads of the hogs have been removed, they may beimpaled and hung upon a series of hooks 45, projecting from the beam 1,as shown in the several figures of the drawings.

The apparatus above described is extremely simple in construction, maybe manufactured and sold at a very reasonable cost, within the means ofthe average farmer, will greatly facilitate the operation of scaldingand preparing hogs for the market, and when out of use may be foldedinto compact form and stored until needed at a future time.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In anapparatus for handling hogs, the combination with an elevated beamcomprising parallel bars extended at one end beyond their support, of aliftinglever pivotally mounted between the extended ends of saidbeam-bars and having means for grapplinga hog, and a handoperating-lever pivotally connected with one of the leg-supports of saidbeam and connected with said liftinglever by an interposed flexibledevice which is detachably connected with said hand operating-lever,substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for handling hogs, the

combination with an elevated track, comprising parallel bars or rails,of a pair of hinged supporting-legs arranged upon opposite sides of thetrack, an independent bracket for each leg, said bracket being made intwo sections one of which is formed to embrace the track and the otherto embrace its respective leg, and a pivotal bolt passing through thebeamlegs and bracket and having provision for tightening the same,whereby the legs may be loosened and folded into the plane of the beam,substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for handling hogs, the combination with an elevatedbeam or track comprising parallel bars spaced apart, of an inclined legpivotally mounted between said bars and having intermediate its ends ametallic socket, of a brace also pivotally mounted between said bars andhaving its lower extremity formed to enter said socket, and aconnecting-hook interposed between said leg and brace, substantially asdescribed.

4. In an apparatus for handling hogs, the combination with an elevatedtrack, a liftinglever fulcrumed thereon and the leg-supports thereofprovided with horizontally alined staples or eyes, of' a removable barinserted therein and forming a support for the skid, and a hand-leverlocated beneath the plane of said bar and operatively connected to thelifting-lever, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. DAVID V. INMAN.

\Vitnesses:

E. G. FRANKMAN, L. L. LEHMAN.

